ESC and Traction Control [problem?]

This is in AC, not ACC.

I use a 2016 Porsche GT4 in the sim and a 2021 GT4 on track. I have manipulated grip levels to a point where my sim time matches my track time with ESC and TC on.

Recently, I tried running with them off. I found the car became extremely difficult to control and was especially prone to power oversteer coming out of corners. This has not been my experience on track. I can manage this by adjusting how fast and how hard I get back on the throttle, but this is actually costing me time. I have toyed with the idea of adding a little ESC and TC but I don't know if that is the optimum solution. If others have experienced this I would like to know what you did about it.

 

I think the first quote tells you all you need to know, but I could be wrong.

 

That thought had entered my mind but I rejected, perhaps wrongly. I felt that if actual track grip levels wouldn't change if I turned off ESC and TC, I probably shouldn't change the sim grip levels. However, I would be the first to admit I don't know what is going on inside that program. It is possible the nannies in AC are far more powerful than the nannies in an actual car and turning them off could require rethinking everything. Do you think that might be the case?

 

I thought you add manipulated the grip level of the car/tires, not the track. The track grip level is ok, but to a point, as you might end up with a “wet” track grip level, in which case the assist would be a lot more assisting, as it would IRL.

Seriously jealous of you track toy by the way.

I think it is going to be hard to achieve what you are looking to do, even if the simulated car is supposed to be equivalent to your real car. Particularly if you want to evaluate assisted TC and ESP, as they are probably different and even very different in the way they work in the sim.

@mclarenf1papa could probably be more specific.

 

I think that's what I'm finding. With ESC and TC, an initial 85% track grip, which is about the same as "Dusty", I think, produces sim times close to track times for similarly setup cars. With ESC and TC off the track is too slippery. I tried an "Old" track, which has an initial grip level of 89%, and that seems closer. "Green" might work. I'll have to try it. It does seem like the difference with ESC & TC on or off is much greater than in the actual car and that has confused me.

 

Maybe a better approach is to add ballast, keeping track to a good grip level, to match your lap time. Or just forget about matching lap time.

 

I'm not sure I can add ballast to this car. I'll have to check. However, since it appears having ESC & TC on or off produces different results in the sim vs the track, using a grippier track may be enough when I turn them off.

I can't exactly match lap times. What I'm after are similar times and feel.

 

I think track grip is the way to go. I used a Green Track with ESC & TC off and was fractionally quicker than the Dusty Track with ESC & TC on. Considering the radical difference in grip I would have to say that ESC & TC are way more powerful in the sim than in the real car.

 

What is "ESC"?

 

That may not be what it is called in AC but in my Porsche it stands for Electronic Stability Control. There are two settings in the AC control panel to set ESC and TC. There is also a setting for ABS that I leave at the factory setting.


That along with Traction Control, TC, and some other stuff comprise Porsche Stability Management, PSM. It manifests itself mainly in two ways. It will apply the rear brakes on one side or the other and it will reduce the throttle. On other cars I have had the throttle cut off entirely. The Porsche doesn't seem to do this, although I've occasionally noticed a lack of response.

With a new car, I've been running with it turned on so I did that in AC. I soon realized this was producing bogus lap times in the sim so I reduced the track grip level to bring things into line. Then when I turned it off in the sim I realized the sim was doing much more than the car was actually doing, so I had to increase track grip to get it back in line.

I have no idea why ESC and TC are so effective in the sim compared to the actual car, although it may have something to do with using a 2016 version in the sim and a 2021 version on the track. Technology marches on!

 

Afaik the stability control slider in AC was just a generic driver assist to be forced over regular car behavior (hence no "factory" option to only allow usage if available in the real car). I.e., it's not meant to sim the respective car's ESC.

 

Like AlleyViper has indicated, Stability Control in AC is a generic "driver aid", and does not represent any kind of real world feature. Therefore, you need to disable it.

 

Thanks. That explains a lot. There was no factory setting so I used 50%. Clearly that was way too much. I've disabled ESC and TC and using a Green track I am getting the correct "feel" although my times may be "too" good. I won't know until next year.

 

Just a note to say that TC is a simulation of the traction control in the real car, so using that would be perfectly valid. However, on a personal note, I never use TC in any of the AC road cars.

 

Thanks. I had it on because I had it on in my car. I've turned it off because I'm turning it off in my car.